OF THE AMAZON. 265° 
have furnished to the Portuguese an easy introduc- 
tion into the missions of Guiana. The jealousies 
of these rival nations, the ignorance and diversified 
languages of the Indians, the difficulty of pene- 
trating into these inland regions, and other causes, 
rendered the knowledge of the sources as well as 
the tributaries of the Negro and Orinoco extremely 
defective. To endeavour to throw some light on 
this geographical point, and in particular to de- 
termine the course of that branch of the Orinoco 
which joins the Rio Negro, was the great object of 
Humboldt’s journey. This last, or Black River, is so 
named on account of the dark colour of its waters, 
which are of an amber hue wherever it is shallow, 
and dark-brown wherever the depth is great. After 
entering it by the Pimichin, and passing the rapid at 
the confluence of the two streams, the travellers soon 
reached the mission of Maroa, containing 150 In- 
dians, where they purchased some fine toucans. Pass- 
ing the station of Tomo they visited that of Davipe, 
where they were received by the missionary with 
great hospitality. Here they bought some fowls 
and a pig, which interested their servants so much 
that they pressed them to depart, in order to reach 
the island of Dapa where the animal might be roast- 
ed. They arrived at sunset, and found some cul- 
tivated ground and an Indian hut. Four natives 
were seated round a fire eating a kind of paste, 
consisting of large ants, of which several bags were 
suspended over the fire. There were more than 
fourteen persons in this small cabin, lying naked in 
hammocks placed above each other. They received 
Father Zea with great joy, and two young women 
prepared cassava-cakes; after which the travellers 
